July book of the month: Why Mummy Swears by Gill Sims - Read and join the discussion and author webchat on Weds 5 September, 9pm.

Over Summer MN bookclub will be reading two strikingly different books about parenting. Both authors will be joining us in early September for webchats.

First up is Gill Sim’s Why Mummy Swears. Gill’s blog Peter and Jane has become a UK phenomenon, largely due to the publication of her first novel - the bestselling Why Mummy Drinks. Her latest joins Ellen, husband Simon and their precious 'moppets', Jane and Peter at the start of the summer holidays and follows them, in diary format, over the course of the year. With spot-on observations about motherhood and more than a few lol moments, this is the perfect fun summer read, whether you’re lying by a pool or in need of light relief as you struggle with your own moppets over the school holidays.

Gill Sims will be joining us for a webchat on Wednesday 5 September when she’ll be joining us for a chat and a laugh about surviving the summer holidays as well as answering your questions about the book. Find out more about the book, read - or listen to - an extract and find out what the Mumsnet bloggers have to say about Why Mummy Swears

Hi Gill,I've really enjoyed both books and can relate to many things in them. My question is if you have ever been forced into a role on a PSA and if so were you brave enough to cancel something if others wouldn't help? Your descriptions of the whole experience: lack of volunteers, wonderful excuses and ridiculous expectations of others rang very true with my own experiences but I'm afraid I've ended up being a martyr giving up lots of my own time and then moaning about if afterwards!

As we prepare to send the kids back to school, I can reflect and say that this was the right book to take on holiday this summer!

I follow a few mummy bloggers online but had never heard of Gill before. When I started this book I initially felt like it was a bit cliche but then turned the page and read a scene straight out of my own life, haha! Work, kids, husband, friends - the struggle is real! I think we all take comfort in reading the similar problems everyone faces and knowing we're all going through it together. So I'd like to ask Gill which bloggers she follows online and if she has any particular favourites?

Hi MamaCBear!I follow a fabulous Irish blogger called the S Mum, who is hilarious, and brave and honest and real- she's definitely one of my favourites! Hurrah For Gin is hard to beat too, though she's not posting much these days, sadly! And not really bloggers, but I have recently become worryingly addicted to otter accounts on Instagram...xx

Just popping on to Fangirl. 😍Love reading about the moppets but also the truth of what a ballache lasagne making is. Two questions: Do you know Katie Kirby from hurrah for gin: are you in a special gin drinking club together?

How much shit do you have to put up with From trolls? I hope that it's not much. I ask because I have seen the odd comment on the page which make me Someone said "why did you even have kids?" Someone replied "because the ads made us thinkThere would be frolics"

Any way THANK YOU for making me laugh, for your honesty. You're epic That is all

Hi ChampagneSupernovaAgain,

I have met Katie Kirby, she was utterly lovely, and we had quite a few cocktails together- it was at an event for t'other place that I believe is not mentioned here...sadly we don't have a special gin drinking club, though that would be nice!

In the grand scheme of the internet and the general awfulness that seems to lurk out there, I'm pretty lucky with regard to trolls! There are the odd comments, but usually from people who have completely missed the point that it is supposed to be a humorous page, and try and take it seriously. Sometimes it's just someone who doesn't find me funny, which is fine, it would be pretty boring if we all liked the same thing, but they feel the need to tell me exactly why they don't find it funny. Usually, there are so many comments on posts that either I don't see the nasty ones, or by the time I do, someone else has already responded, usually with far more with that I could've managed! But like I said, there's not been anything too awful, when you hear what other people get sent, mostly just people saying 'I think you're a bit shit!'.xx

I wasn't sure about the format to start with, but it didn't take long to get hooked and then i found myself laughing out loud at the various antics of the various characters. Really funny and enjoyable, i could relate to si many things. So what made you start writing all this down?

Hi SallySwann,I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I don't know what made me start writing it all down- it started really as a joke with a friend, and then other people found it funny, so I shared it on Facebook, and then it sort of snowballed and I suppose in a way, the more other people said 'I feel like that too!' the more cathartic it became, after spending a long time convinced I was the only one who hated making lasagne/ wanted to puke at the smell in softplay/ hid in a cupboard eating biscuits/ dreamed of one single wee in peace! xx

Hi Gill, I enjoy your blog and have read both your books, great fun even though my kids are young men now I still find them funny. I have also done a Facebook live session, not so glamerous, for my work. It's really hard keeping up! So good luck with this and look forward to your next offering whatever that may be. 😀

Hi GillWhy Mummy Swears is brilliant! I left it on the chair, the kids noticed and squealed “Oh Mummy, that book must be all about you!” I laughed at so much of it and commiserated at other parts; it was so, so relevant and I hadn’t expected that.Although I’ve heard about you, I hadn’t read your blog or Why Mummy Drinks. My question is, how much artistic license is there in the stories or do you worry about people taking offence at how they’ve been portrayed if they’re true?

Hi! As this book could be viewed as a 'warts and all' take on parenting, I wondered what your views were on Instamums and do you follow any?

Hi ButDoYouAvocado,I've seen a few bits and pieces about the 'Instamums' and the way they seem to divide opinion. I follow Clemmie Telford and Steph Douglas, mostly because I met them in person and they were really nice people. I don't really have an opinion as such- I obviously don't feature my kids online, partly because they are old enough to have had the Internet safety talks at school about never sharing details online, and now they won't even let me post photos of them on my personal FB page as they took it all so seriously (my son told me I could go to prison after they changed the law in France, I pointed out we weren't in France, to his disappointment) , but each to their own! I think maybe some people cross the line with what they post, but I've not seen that in the ones I follow, but that's the internet for you, isn't it- someone will also cross the line! xx

Can I ask if you actually drink each of the drinks you photograph - or if you sometimes think fuck it, not another and pour it down the sink?

And a bonus question - will there be a third book please? hope so!

Hi thinkofablinkingnamewoman,It depends on the time of day if I drink it or not- sometimes I need to schedule posts because I'm out, and so I take the photo earlier in the day, so obviously I can't drink it, because I'm driving later, but I quite often will keep it until a more suitable hour!

Lots of people are asking about a third book- I very much hope there will be another book, addressing Ellen and family's japes and frolics (and the rest) as the children get a bit older!

Hi ButDoYouAvocado,Oooh, good question! No, I don't think so, but I like to think she contains a little bit of every stressed mum who has had to bite their tongue to stop themselves telling their little darlings to fuck off please sit down quietly.

Hi GillWhy Mummy Swears is brilliant! I left it on the chair, the kids noticed and squealed “Oh Mummy, that book must be all about you!” I laughed at so much of it and commiserated at other parts; it was so, so relevant and I hadn’t expected that.Although I’ve heard about you, I hadn’t read your blog or Why Mummy Drinks. My question is, how much artistic license is there in the stories or do you worry about people taking offence at how they’ve been portrayed if they’re true?

Hi Celama,I'm so glad you enjoyed it! There is, obviously, quite a lot of artistic license in the stories. The people portrayed tend to be exaggerated stereotypes from every playground- I think if anyone don't know a Persephone's Mummy, then maybe you are Persephone's Mummy..., so I don't really worry about that- no one is slavishly based on one person! Sometimes, my friends will tell me a story too brilliant not to share, but in those cases, I always ask for their permission to use it first!

Hi Gill, I enjoy your blog and have read both your books, great fun even though my kids are young men now I still find them funny. I have also done a Facebook live session, not so glamerous, for my work. It's really hard keeping up! So good luck with this and look forward to your next offering whatever that may be. 😀